Seafood Fest Promises To Dish It Out

PORT CANAVERAL — Seafood lovers at the Port Canaveral Seafood Festival March 22 and 23 will have last year's festivalgoers to thank for improvements.

The festival, in its third year, promises to be better than ever because ''we listen to our guests,'' said Tom Hunt, Southern Bell district manager and a volunteer festival worker.

Among suggestions received from last year's 56,000 festivalgoers was a request for more specialty dishes.

This year, a new dish called ''Po Boy's Shrimp Cocktail,'' a mound of steamed shrimp, chilled and served with cocktail sauce, will be available.

Also new is Florida blue crab, chilled and cracked, and served with coleslaw and a bowl of the festival's official clam chowder. The chowder, prepared by Bernard's Surf restaurant in Cocoa Beach, was selected in a cook- off several weeks ago. At least 50 gallons are expected to be sold.

Still on the menu from last year is the traditional seafood platter with fried Florida perch, sauteed calico scallops, coleslaw, baked beans, corn on the cob and hush puppies. Stuffed deviled crab, deep-fried rock shrimp, smoked fish and funnel cake will ensure there is something for everyone.

Festivalgoers will pay for food at individual booths, but the sun, fun, parking and entertainment are free, Hunt said.

And he is hoping for good weather again this year.

''That was one of the nicest things last year -- the weather was perfect and there were families just coming out and lying on a beach blanket listening to music and going through the booths,'' Hunt said.

Music is on the agenda again this year with the U.S. Navy Jazz Band from the Orlando Naval Training Center, a bluegrass band and other groups. For water lovers, a county beach area at Jetty Park is only a stone's throw from the festivities.

The Cocoa Beach Chamber of Commerce will use the festival proceeds to promote tourism and job development in Brevard, Hunt said.

''By inviting everyone over for a good time, we increase awareness in Central Florida of the seafood industry at the port and the business opportunities that exist there,'' Hunt said.

Last year, more than 1,000 volunteers helped make the two-day festival run smoothly, Hunt said. At least 260 volunteers still are needed to work this year, mainly as food servers. Hunt asked that anyone who has spare time call the chamber office at 495-2200 to volunteer.

One of the largest sources of volunteers is Brevard County government, Hunt said. The more than 250 county workers will fill a variety of posts, but the majority will direct traffic in the parking lot.